<p>Has anyone had trouble with the 3M Command hooks not staying on the walls? We bought the 5 pound capacity ones for D1’s room in her soroirty house so they can hang towels, purses, etc. She used them last year in her dorm with great success. However, this year the hooks keep faling off the walls. The walls were freshly painted, and the base is wooden bead board. I think that the painted wood is the issue, but 3M claims that the hooks can adhere to all surfaces. </p>
<p>We were able to get real hooks and nail them to the wall, but there are a few things that she wants to use the Command strips.</p>
<p>I’ve only had problems when the walls weren’t thoroughly cleaned. Perhaps you can try wiping down the wall with alcohol or vinegar - and then letting it dry - before applying the Command strips. </p>
<p>And then you are not supposed to put anything on them for two hours while they “set”. Most people (myself included) don’t use alcohol, and don’t wait and get occasional failures.</p>
<p>The father of my daughter’s roommate seemed to be an expert at this. He had a process. It included wiping the walls with alcohol, and then pressing against the 3M strips for 2 minutes. It worked for him. I don’t have the patience.</p>
<p>^ Me either! We have never had a problem, never cleaned the walls (although it sounds like a good idea if that area is failing to hold a hook), we do not hang anything on them for a few hours. They were wonderful on painted cinderblock walls in my son’s dorm last year to hang up towels and jackets (I had my doubts given the uneven surface). We never tried anything heavier. I’m hoping they stay put again this year. </p>
<p>They are not terribly expensive if you remove them and just buy the adhesive strips the following year. It’s easier then putting a hole in the wall and paying for damages or having to refill the hole at the end of the year.</p>
That’s exactly the problem I had. We painted the walls, and then tried to hang up the same pictures (so they’re the same weight) in approximately the same spots. Didn’t work; had to buy a whole mess of new frames after cleaning up lots of broken glass!</p>
<p>Try buying them at Micheal’s (or your local craft store) with a 40% coupon. We were able to get a range of sizes for D. Of course the store is about a block away from the office, so no problem stopping by…</p>
<p>Exactly what happened at Pitt last week in my daughter’s room! She had used the hooks last year without any problems. Fast forward to this year…freshly painted walls and none of them would stick despite repeated attempts.</p>
<p>Interesting. I’ll have to check with my son to see if his have stayed up. His apartment was fully renovated this summer, which includes fresh paint.</p>
<p>These things did not work to hang lightweight posters in my son’s room during a hot muggy move-in. Very high humidity. They tried the strips later in the month when it was not so humid and they worked. Coincidence maybe, but it could be humidity. (They did not use alcohol either time.)</p>
<p>I’ll just mention that you can spackle the tiny hole left behind by a picture hook with toothpaste when it’s time to move out (assuming the walls are white).</p>
<p>These things make me crazy. They are so pricey and I am impatient and don’t have much luck getting them to stick. Just what a frazzled parent needs on move-in day. This year we did use alcohol to clean the wall and that helped, finally. Wall was freshly painted cinder block.</p>
<p>D and S have had great luck with them. They hang everything with Command strips and hooks. They have always been able to remove them cleanly (even from cinder block).</p>